Cock or the like



April 26, I932. E. OTTON COCK OR THE LIKE n ull:

Filed March 8, 1929 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 umrao .srra rss PATENT OFFICE EDWARD OTTO'N', OF LONDON, ENGLAND cock on THE LIKE Application filed M arch s, 1929, Serial rm. 345,392, and. infGreatBritain October 30, 1928.

This invention relates to controlling devices and has for its primary-object the provision of improved meansin connection with a controlling device whereby unauthorized ,5 persons may be prevented from using or exercising whatever is controlled.

'The invention consists broadly of a'con-' trollin device rotatable to and-from 'two POSItlOIlS of control comprising aone way clutch which permits said device to be roitated to oneof saidpositions and normally prevents it from being rotated to "the =other,

said clutch'being adapted to be actuated by means of a key'to a "release state'at which it permits said device to be rotated to said other position; t

In order that "the invention may be the moreclearlyunderstood a 'petrol cock inacc'ordance therewith will now be'described reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure -1'isaside elevation of said cock,

Figure 2 is 1 an end elevation ofthe same,

FIgureSis a section on line of Figi ure 2,

Figure 4 is'a 'planojf thesame, [Figure 5-is a pl-an with 'the'handadjustingknob removed, and Figure 6 is a section of a slightly anodifiedepart; T Referring'to the drawings, the cock comprises a'body l in which the passage of flow a is formed inthe usual way. Said passage apasses througha conical valve chamber 6 and is open or closed according as whether the'conical valve 2is 'forced down into said valve chamber 'or is lifted clear, of the same in the position shown in Figure 3. Said valve Qisin screw threaded relation 'in the body 1 as shown the pitch ofthe thread ,beingsteep so that about a single turn is .suflicient to movesaid valvectoand 'froinitsopen and closed positions. The rotation of said valve :2. is effected by means i of an actuating knob 3, said actuating knob being rigidly secured to a squareisection shaft 4; which zmates with a-iboreof siinilarnsection in said ualveiQ. v l'lhusr said lvalve is :constrained to irotate :with thedznbb 3 but :is free to move movement. The

sers towardsthe narrowend oft-the clearances.

lon itudinally as determined by its screw threaded engagement with'fthe 'body "1.

The rotatable mounting of said shaft-'t'fin the body 1 is effected by means of a cone 5, and disc 6 secured to said shaftand a coni- '55 cally recessed'part 'Tsecure'd-tosaid body. Said cone "5 is screwed as shown on 'tofa screwed portion of said-shaft 4 above the square section portion and said disc 6 'has a..i square hole therethrough and is threadedon said square section portion. Said cone and disc are locked against relative rotation by means of interengaging pins and pin holes and thus it *Willbe seen that so long assaid, cone and disc are prevented from falling '65 apart they arerigidly secured to said shaft 4 both as regards rotation and =longitudinal part 7 isscrewed into "engagement'with thebody 1, 'Wi'th its conical recess mating With said'cone 5 andpressingfio the diso'6 onto alplanesurface of said'bodfy 1 and it will rbeseen that a bearing for-said shaft '4 is thus constituted which will effectively seal the valve chamber 6. '7

*Said shaft 4 is integral 'with :a plate *8 through which said shaft is-securedto the 'exactlyinsaid recess as shown in-Figure 5.

As shownin saidfigurehowever said plate 8 hastwo diametrically opposite bites* 0 cut outof its circumferential periphery such that, -wed'ge shape clearances are constituted be- '85 tween said plate S-and saidwpart 7. :Inrthese wedge shape clearances vbetween the two elements 8 and 7 rollers 9-are locatedand springs 10" are provided for urging. said rollto When it iszattempted .to rotates said disc in a counter-clockwise direction according to Figure 5) said springs 10 and the friction between said rollers and the surrounding walls of the part 7 unite to cause saidtrollers toj am between said parts and such rotation is prevented. When however a rotary effort is applied in the oppositedirection the friction opposes-said springs to'relea'se such jams, and rotation is freely effected.

In the cock being described the arrangement is such that the valve may be freely closed but cannot be normally opened. To enable said valve to be opened by an authorised person releasing levers 11 are mounted as shown in a diametrical recess cl, said levers being pivoted about pins 12 and having heads 11a which, when said levers are rocked in a counterclockwise direction move the rollers 9 to a release position at the thick end of the wedge shape clearances. Said levers are adapted to be so rocked by means of a key adapted to be inserted through a slot 6 in the adjusting knob 3 into position between said levers 11 and to engage, upon rotation, with lugs 11?).

Thus, with the levers 11 in the non-release state as shown in Fig. 5 the key after insertionthrough the slot 6 is rotated in a clockwise direction and after making nearly a complete revolution engages the lugs 11?) and rocks the levers in a counter-clockwise direction as aforestated for moving the rollers 9' to the release position. The key is now at a position in which it does not register'with the slot 6 and therefore it cannot be withdrawn. Before it can be again brought into registration with said slot 6 it must be returned in a counter-clockwise direction to its original position and in being so returned it will engage the lugs 11?) on the other side and positively return the levers 11 to the non release position of Fig. 5. whereupon the key may be withdrawn. When said levers are moved to the release position they are yieldably retained there by means of the downwardly turned ends (not shown) of arcuate strips 13 located in an annular recess in the underside of the knob 3. This is in order thatfthe key, having once released the clutch, need not be actuated continuously whilst the cock is being opened.

The numeral 14 designates a spring washer adapted to impose a friction drag on the rotation of the knob.

Referring now to Figure 6 this illustrates a modified form of sealing bearing for the shaft 4. In this construction a downwardly pointing cone 15 is formed integrally between said shaft 4 and the plate 8 which cone bears in a conical recess in the part 7 and it will be seen that by screwing up the cone 5 the two cones 5 and 15 are forced tightly into engagement with their respective recesses.

It will be clear that the invention may be applied to many controlling devices other than cocks. For example the invention could .obviously be applied to handles for doors,

safes, suitcases or the like,and any other article which it is necessary or'desirable to lock to prevent unauthorized access, the arrangement being such that the clutch nor- 'mally locks said handle at theposition 0 securing the-door or other article.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A controlling device rotatable to and from two positions of control, comprising a one way clutch the two elements of which have a wedge shaped clearance between them and a jamming element located in said clearance which jams in the small end of the clearance when torque is applied for rotating said device to one of said positions of control but not when torque is applied for rotating said device to the other position, and means whereby upon operation of a key said jamming element may be held away from said small end of the clearance so that said device may be rotated in either direction.

2. A controlling. device operable in opposite directions, comprising a clutch which normally acts as a one way clutch enabling said device to be operated in one direction only but is capable of being released for permitting said device to. be operated in either direction, the clutch elements having a wedge shape clearance between them and said clutch comprising a freely floating jamming element located in said clearance and spring biased towards the small end thereof to cause the clutch to act as a one way clutch and a release device for positively holding said jamming element away from said small end in opposition to said spring bias for the purpose of releasing said clutch.

3. A controlling device according to claim 2, and comprising means for yieldably retaining said release device at the release position. V

4. A controlling device operable in opposite directions, comprising a clutch which normally acts as a one way clutch enabling said device to be operated in one direction only but iscapable of being released for permitting said device to be operated in either direction, the clutch elements having a wedge shape clearance between them and said clutch comprising a freely floating jamming element located in said clearance and spring biased towards the small end thereof to cause the clutch to act as a one way clutch and a lever carried by the movable element of the clutch and adapted to be actuated by means of a key for positively holding said jamming element away from said small end in opposition to said spring bias for the purpose of releasing said clutch, said key being adapted to be inserted through a slot in the movable part of the device which slot is so located that said key cannot be withdrawn until it has been turned to the position for actuating the clutch to the non release state.

i 5. A cock for controlling the flow of fluids, comprising a one way clutch which permits said cock to be rotated towards the off position and normally prevents it being rotated towards the on position, said clutch being adapted to be actuated by means of a key to EDWARD OTTON. 

